Utility bag with removable lining



July 3, 1962 s. A. Lo vlco UTILITY BAG WITH REMOVABLE LINING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1960 s-IIII FIG 3 INVENToA alvorore A .LoVlco rulli! BY I @4 FIG.2

July 3, 1962 s. A. I o vlco UTILITY BAG WITH REMovABLE LINING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26, 1960 SolvoforeA.LoVico INVENTOR.

AGENT,

United States Patent 3,041,638 UTILITY BAG WITH REMOVABLE LINING Salvatore A. Lo Vico, New York, N.Y. (194--21 111th Road, Queens, NX.) Filed Jan. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 4,668 8 Claims. (Cl. 5-344) My present invention relates to a foldable utility bag provided with a removable lining, preferably of absorbent cloth, adapted to be used as a blanket by a person re clining on the spread-out bag.

In my co-pending application Ser. No. l813,457, filed May l5, 1959, I have `disclosed a beach bag of this type in Iwhich the bag envelope consists, essentially, of two inner and two outer flap portions foldably joined to one another along lines transverse to the major dimensions of the spread-out envelope, the inner portions being provided along their longitudinal edges with slide fasteners whereby, upon an infolding of the outer flaps, these inner portions can tbe joined together along these edges to form a compact carrying ibag. In this position the detachable lining, if left inside the bag, is tucked away between the inner and the outer iiaps whereby, between 43,941,638 `Patented July 3, 1962 ice tions 12u, 12b are linked together by a smaller intermediate portion 12, especially reinforced by a cardboard 12 so as to serve as the supporting bottom of the bag when the latter is folded. The end portion 11a encloses a head rest Ila formed, for example, by a foam-rubber cushion (FIGS. l, 3 and 8) extending over more than half of its area, this cushion being removably enclosed by a slide fastener 11a". The opposite end portion 11b, at the other extremity of the spread-out envelope 10, is formed on its underside, with reference to the spread-out position of FIG. 1 in which the head rest lila' faces upwardly, with a pocket 11b closable by a slide fastener 11b which is accessible, along with the interior of the pocket, from the top of the closed bag.

The lateral edges of the inner envelope portions 12a,

`12b are provided with slide fasteners 14a and leb y adapted to be joined together, when these portions are folded toward each other as seen in FIG. 6, by means of slides 14a andy 14h. These portions are also provided, on their reverse or outer surfaces, with carrying Y handles 16a and 16h.

these infolded outer iiaps, a central compartment is formedy for the storage of articles vout of contact with the possibly damp lining.

It will frequently 'be desirable to use a bag of this description for other purposes, e.g. shopping, in which the presence of the lining as well as the aforementioned outer aps would be unnecessary and cumbersome. It is, therefore, an object of my present invention to provide an improvement of a bag of the above-described character in which these outer flaps and the lining together `form a separate unit bodily removable from the remainder of the bag envelope comprising the two inner folding portions.

This object is realized, in accordance with my present invention, by the provision of additional fastening means (preferably slide fasteners) between lthe outer and the inner flap portions, in combination with supporting means such as straps secured t-o the outer flaps for holding the lining in folded position on these outer ila-ps. The inner section of the envelope, consisting of the two inner flaps which are foldably connected with a narrow central portion as external parts of this inner section, is free from `any attachment to the lining. This inner envelope section may be of generally rectangular configuration, with the outer aps removably secured to the minor sides of the rectangle.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of ,my improved bag envelope, without lining, in spread-out position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the underside of the envelope;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another view similar to FIG. 1 but with the lining in place;

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of the combination of lining and outer aps removed from the envelope;

FIG.`- 6 is a perspective view of the partly open bag envelope after removal of the insert of FIG. 5; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the two outer flaps, respectively.

The folding bag shown in the drawing comprises a lining 15 of absorbent fabric (eg. terry cloth), shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and an envelope 10 of suitable waterrepellent plastic or other flexible sheet material. The bag envelope 10 is made up of four distinct, substantially coextensive principal portions including an outer pair 11a, 11b and an inner pair 12a, 12b. The inner por- Slide fasteners 17a and 17h, having slides 17a and 171)', serve to form a detachable connection between 25 portions will be noted from FIGS. 6 and 8 that the slide 17a 11a, 12a and 11b, 12b, respectively. It

is'permanently secured to the fastener half carried on outer ilap 11a whereas the slide 17b remains attached to the fastener half formed on the inner flap 12b. These two slides, Vwhich advantageously are formed each with two pull tabs on opposite sides of the associated fastener half, may thus additionally be used t0 interconnect the tops of they outer flaps 11a, 11b, as illustrated in FIG. 5, and of the inner flaps 12a, 12b upon the complete closure of the envelope shown partly open in FIG. 6.

The outer flaps 11a, 1lb are further formed with supporting straps 18a, lsb, closable by snap fasteners 18a', 18b, which pass around the fabric 15 at a location close to the junction of each of these outer flaps with the adjacent inner flap. Flap 11a further carries short fastening strips 19a `adapted to be snapped into engageF ment with the head extremity of thelining 15. Flap 11b carries near its lfree end a second strap 19h, closable by a snap fastener 19b `about which the projecting foot end of the lining 15 may be` folded. It will be apparent that, upon the opening of straps 18a, 18h and 19b, the lining'lS may be unfolded sideways and wrapped as a robe about a bather, reclining on the spread-out envelope 10, while still remaining attached to that envelope by the strips 19a.

FIG. 5 illustrates how the two outer ilaps 11a and 11b, joined together along their upper edges by the slide 17a', may be removed as a unit from the remaining portions 12, 12a, 12b which together constitute the basic bag structure of FIG. 6; this removable unit also includes the lining 15 which remains folded about the straps 18a, 1gb, 1911 and removably attached to the snap fasteners of strips 19a. Upon such removal of the insert of FIG. 5, its flap portions 11a, 11b may be separated at the top to facilitate a spreading of the lining 15, e.g. for drying purposes. After reassembly, this insert can once more be introduced into the bag formed by the portions 12, 12a, 12b.

It will. thus be seen that I have provided a novel and versatile utility bag adapted to 'be used for a variety of purposes.A Modifications, e.g. in the nature and the number of the fasteners, are of-course possible and are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bag comprising a spreadable envelope composed of a plurality of'interconnected portions including an inner pair and an outer pair of said portions oldable l relatively to one another about parallel lines, said inner pair of portions being provided, along edges transverse v spread-'out position, supporting means securing said lin- Y Ving to said flaps while leaving it free from attachment outer pair, with second closure means detachably con necting said outer pair of portions thereto, said outer pair being provided with means for joining them together upon their detachment from said inner pair by the opening of said second closure means, thereby forming a unit removable from said inner pair in the closed condition of said first closure means. Y

2. A bag according to claim l, further comprising a lining extending substantially over the length of said envelope in the spread-out position thereof, and supportingmeans on said outer pair detachably joining said lining thereto. Y

` 3. A .bag comprising a spreadable envelope composed of a plurality of interconnected portions including an inner pair and an outer pair of said portions foldable relatively to one another about parallel lines, said inner pair of portions being provided, `along edges transverse to said lines, with mating krst closure means for detachably joining said inner pair together along said edges with said outer pair folded therebetween, said inner pair being further provided, along their junctions with said outer pair, with second closure means detacha-bly connecting said outer pair of portions thereto, said outer pair being removable from said inner pair in the closed condition of said rst closure means upon the opening of said second Vclosure means, wherein said second closure means comprising .two sets of slide-fastener halves and slide means therefor, the siide means of one of said sets being permanently secured to the outer one of the portions interconnected thereby for selective engagement with one of the halves of the other set to v interconnect said outer pair upon detachment thereof from said inner pair, the slide means of said other set being permanently secured tothe inner one of the por,

lfrom a substantially rectangular foldable inner section i and a pair of aps adjoining saidinner section along the' minor sides of the rectangle, rst fastening means at said minor sides detachably securing said aps to said inner section, said flaps and said inner section together forming a continuous surface in the spread-out position of said envelope, a lining overlying said surface in said to said inner section, second fastening means at the major sides of the rectangle adapted to maintain said inner section folded around said lining and said flaps upon an inward folding of the latter about said minor sides, and means for joining said aps together upon their detachment from said inner sections whereby said flaps and said lining are removable as a unit from said inner section in the folded condition of the latter.

6. A bag according to claim 5 wherein said inner section consists of a relatively narrow central portion and two relatively wide external portions foldably joined to said central vportion along lines paralleling said minor sides.

7. A bag according to claim 6 wherein said flaps are substantially co-extensive with said external portions.

.8. A bag 'comprising a spreadable envelope composed of a plurality of interconnected portions including an inner pair and an outer pair of said portions foldable relatively to one another about parallel lines, said inner pair of portions being provided, along edges transverse to said lines, with mating first closure means for detachably joining said inner pair together along said edges with said outer pair folded therebetween, said inner pair being further provided, along'their junctions with said outer pair, with second closure means detachably connecting said outer pair of portions thereto, said outer pair being removable from said inner pair in the closed condition of said rst closure means upon the opening of said second closure means, a lining extending substantially over the length of said envelope in the spread-out position thereof, and supporting means on said outer pair detachably joining said lining thereto, said supporting means comprising at least one openable strap extending across said lining over substantially the full Width of said outer pair of portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland Aug. 16, 1949 m Si. 

